This invention concerns the textile sector and textile machines for knitted goods, hosiery and similar where paired or cabled threads are used to make fabrics, pullovers, socks, etc. More particularly, the invention refers to a method and equipment for pairing two or more threads when entering said machines, by pairing covering, cabling or interlacing of one thread, even an elastic one, which may be taut to a greater or lesser degree, with at least one other thread.
The processing of certain types of fabrics or pullovers requires the availability and use of paired or cabled threads, consisting of one thread, which may even be elastic, and at least one other thread of natural or synthetic fibre.
Thread pairing is usually carried out by covering one thread with one or more different threads. The pairing may be done with a pneumatic action, blasting a jet of air over the threads, or with other methods. Pairing devices for this pairing operation are already known. However, the operation at present is carried out in special mills, with complex and bulky machinery, taking the threads for pairing from their respective reels, passing them through a twisting machine and rewinding the paired thread on another reel.
FR-A-23767237 discloses a method for processing multifilament yarns on a knitting machine, especially a circular knitting machine, comprising the steps of feeding two or more individual threads to a pairing or cabling device in the form of a texturizing device which forms a single resultant texturized thread thereof that is directly furnished to a knitting point of the knitting machine associated thereto. Since the texturized yarn passes from the texturizing device via a yarn eyelet directly to the knitting point it is difficult to maintain a predetermined yarn tension on the input side of the knitting machine, particularly during start/stop of the knitting machine. Synchronizing the texturising device exactly with the knitting machine is difficult, however.
Something similar is true for a meth2od for manufacturing knitwear that is disclosed in DE-A 180 6326.
The first aim of this invention is to use an innovative and orginal way to resolve the problem of pairing or cabling two or more threads which are about to be processed on textile machines used for knitted goods or hosiery; by means of an efficient pairing method and, above all, with significant managerial, practical and economic advantages.
Another objective of this invention is to make and supply a device which, when applied to any textile machine, makes it practical and efficient to operate such a pairing method, as described above of two or more threads, available for imediate. use on the textile machines.
The first objective is achieved with a method of pairing and cabling of two or more threads for use in textile machines for knitted goods and hosiery, according to which the pairing or cabling of the individual threads that will compose the paired or cabled thread takes place is immediately before use, that is, during the use of the paired thread in the machine.
Numerous advantages are to be obtained, including: elimination of machines for the preparation beforehand of paired threads; elimination of warehouse supplies of paired threads; the chance to make thread-users independent of other producers; the immediate availability of paired threads without picking up the reels; the immediate use of paired threads on the textile machines with freedom of choice over the colours, thickness and nature of staring threads, according to the specific needs of the fabrics or knitted work in question; the possibility of direct control in the machine over the drawing of the paired threads and/or re-entry of knitted work after processing, etc.
The second objective of the invention is realised with a pairing or covering device for two or more threads to be processed in textile machines used for knitted goods, hosiery and similar, which includes means for bringing together at least two separate threads, means for stretching and pulling the paired threads, a means for pairing and covering certain threads when leaving said means for pulling and a spinning accumulator for collecting and accumulating the paired or cabled thread when it leaves said pairing means, the textile machine feeding itself independently with paired thread from the said accumulator.
This device is easily applicable to any textile machine and is designed to interact functionally with them all.
In particular, accumulating the paired thread on an accumulator means that the formation of the paired thread is independent of the request for thread made by the machine. In this way, the pairing device can be easily coordinated to satisfy any textile machine, without resorting to structural or functional modifications of the latter.
Furthermore, tanks to its own accumulator, the pairing device does not have any influence on the tension of the paired thread directed towards the textile machine. Thus, the thread can be supplied to the machine either tension-free or with a pre-determined tension, according to requirements, this being controlled by the machine""s own means.
The production speed of the paired thread can be regulated and is completely independent from the textile machine""s consumption speed of the thread. Correspondingly, the production speed of the paired or cabled thread may be equal to that of the feed speed of the thread to the machine in the case where there is no accumulation of thread on the accumulator and the quantity of tread accumulated remains constant. It is preferable, however, that the production speed of the paired or cabled thread be greater than that of the thread requested by the machine. In this case, the thread is accumulated on the accumulator, between a controlled minimum and maximum, and is at the disposal of the machine to be fed. Consequently, the pairing device will work intermittently, without being strictly tied to the operation and work speed of the machine, and this means lower energy consumption and reduced wear of the equipment.
The availability of thread on the accumulator means regular thread-feeding to the textile machine, whether the latter is operating continuously or not.
Another advantage, by no means least, is that such a device can be used not only for pairing several threads, but also as the feeder of a single elastic thread, which is bare and can be regulated in tension, rather than using the traditional devices that are currently applied to textile machines.
This invention also includes any kind of textile machine for knitted goods and hosiery, fed with paired threads made by the method and with the device according to the invention.